Process and apparatus for producing sheet glass



c. CONE 1,818,195

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING SHEET GLASS Filed June 11, 1930 shun 11oz Carroll Cone PROCESg AND APPARATUS 30E PRODUCING SH GLASS Application filed June 11,

The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for forming and annealing sheet or plate glass.

In the production of successive sheets of glass by an intermittent rolling operation, it is desirable that the formation of the sheet be performed at a relatively high ratepf speed as compared with the speed at which it travels in annealing. This rapid formation of the glass sheet is desirable from both the standpoint of production and quality While the travel of the sheet during annealing is necessarily slow in order to avoid making the annealing" apparatus of great length. v

The general object of the present invention therefore resides in the provision of a process and a paratus whereby successive sheets of glass nay be intermittently formed at a relatively high rate of speed and subsequently annealed while traveling at' a relatively slower speed. D

Another object of the nvention is the provision of a process and apparatus wherein successive sheets of glass are adapted to be intermittently formed at a relatively high rate of speed and carried forwardlyat such speed for a suitable distance, after which the sheets are rotated 180 in a manner to efi'ect a reduction in the forward speed of travel thereof, the sheetsbeing subsequently passed at such reduced speed into and through. an annealing leer. a

A further object of the invention is the provision of means of a novel andimproved character for eidecting the reduction in the speed of travel of the sheet as it is being carried forwardl said means functioning to receive the sheet from the forming mechanism' at a relatively high speed and deliver it to the annealing leer at a relatively slower speed.

@ther objects and advantages of the 111-- vention will become more apparent during the course of the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

in the drawings forming a part of this application and wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig; 1 is a side elevation, partially in section, of apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention, and,

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

The sheet forming apparatus herein provided comprises a rolling machine including a pair of forming rolls 5 and 6 associated with one end of a tiltable support or receiver 7 and spaced from one another to create a sheet forming pass therebetween. In forming the sheet, a mass or charge of molten glass 8 is deposited upon the receiver 7 from a pot or other suitable receptacle 9 and then passed between the forming rolls which serve to reduce it to a sheet 10 of substantially predetermined and uniform thickness. As it is desirable that the glass sheet be formed at a relatively high rate of speed, the forming rolls 5 and 6 are rotated in a manner to rapidly reduce the mass of molten glass 8 to sheet form.

As the glass sheet leaves the forming rolls, it passes downwardly over an inclined slab 11 and is deflected into the horizontal plane and received upon a runway composed of a series of horizontally aligned rolls 12 from which it passes through the transfer and speed changing apparatus designated in its entirety by the numeral 13, and thence into and through an annealing leer 1d. The sheet is supported within and carried through the annealing leer upon a series of horizontally aligned rolls 15 which are driven at a constant relatively slow speed equal to the speed at which it is desired to move the sheet in an nealing. Thus, the leer rolls 15 are adapted to be driven, during the formation of the sheet, at a constant relativel slow speed which is materially less than t e peripheral speed of the forming rolls 5 and 6. F or example, the leer rolls may be driven at from two to fifteen feet per minute while the sheet is being formed at the rate of from forty to sixty feet per minute. Due to this difierence between the forming and annealing speeds, some means must be PZOVldGdfOI reducing the forward speed of travel of the sheet after Mill i so porteo. npoi it has been termed? before it deliverecl or eesseol into the leer". To sccomplish this, encl also the other objects of the in ention, there is provitlecl the transfer encl speetl changing apparatus 13 referred lleYG-iflshove snot which is interposed between the rumvsv l2 emi leer lltor Peceivingf e sheet from. the former at one speed encl tlelive-" it into the letter at s ireclucecl. need.

The transfer end speed changin s eeretus comprises elo l hello olricel casing or housing end by Well 1? proviclel with through which the sheet 10 r tioneol a cent e ch en oi housing 16 s sh v in spececl r letioi vvioe support by vvets 2U.

ollers erio e"- ohposite sicles oi s I being iournelec n 4"! e Within sn e Q oosing is eel to he rotated about its .ongituoinsl rolls 21 by any suitable means such by the use 1? 011-9 or more n gears Qt meshing With e, L nioii inoni o upon a chive sh J W.

ltllounteil Within the housin ere tweserics or sets of hosisontelly arranged rolls 2? 28, ssicl rolls being; erre e in Ct siiperirnposedl horizontal lines 'eclsptecl to receive the glass sheet es it is formed therehetvveen. he er lower sets of rolls 28 and 2? respectively are mounted upon shefis 29 journeleol at their o posite encls in the Well of the housing 16 sa sets of rolls heihg preferwhly spececl one another s distance slightly greater than the maximum thickness t sheet produced so when the sheet is being cerriecl along upon either set of rolls, the rolls of the other set Will be out of contect therewith. The rolls 2'? may he termecl the high speed rolls by which is meant thst they are adopted to rotate at e relatively high rate of speed; equal to the speetl of the forming rolls 5 siicl 6 so as sheet termed it will he carried "1 srcli upon the rolls 2'? at its speed of form 2 The rolls 28 may he 1'. rolls since they are e coiseent relst' the speeol of: the leer rolls l5 and when the housing 16 is rotated. 180 the low speed rolls will he brought into horizontal alignment with leer rolls thereupon, The rolls- 28 may be driven h exactly thej'smne means as the rolls 2'? so e detailed description of the drive therefor is not thought to he necessary In the operation of the invention ing 16 is rotated ope? to bring the high 1:92.15 9

l-'- v i '1 tel siig m u with tolls l2 as i.--

l, h i; ass or charge 0;

J i 8 is then CleDOSl e entirely re- 16 is rotetecl so that the the lower male sheet Will he TGVQZSGil to hr uppermost and, when this is done, the sheet Will then be resting upon the low speecl rolls 28, During the tori ing over ot the sheet, it will be apparent thet its forward speecl oi travel will he gradually reduced so that Whe is supported upon the rolls 28, it will he movecl forwardly annealing sneecl into leer l i wherein it is cerriecl el g the rolls such speech After the shet is entirely Within the lees, the housing is rotetecl 180 to hring "olls 2? lowermost whereupon eppei the is eosition to receive e seeoncl a To oroler to prevent lateral shi movement of the sheet closing the it is losing rotated, there they he provided plurality of vertically clisposec L rollers 3'? the eclges of the sheet between cert-"'11 adjacent pairs of rolls 2? end 28 these rollers being free to rotate Within hrecl: 38.,

l t is to he nnolerstooo' thet the form. of the invention herewith shown sncl (lescI-ihecl is to be tslten as the preferred. e1, ho Zifilll) of the same various changes in the shape, size anal arrangeme of parts may he resorted to Without clegertlig ii on the spirit oi the invention or scope of claim v T i 14. is and. will SUPPULL the sheet rying the sheet forwardly as it is formed in a generally horizontal direction and to a predetermined location, turning the sheet upside down, and then passing the sheetvforwardly into and through an .annealing zone.

2. The process of producing sheet'glass, which consists in first forming the sheet, carrying-the sheet forwardly as it is formed in a generally horizontal direction and to a predetermined location, turning the sheet 180 to bring its bottom surface uppermost, and then passing the sheet forwardly into and through an annealing zone.

3. The process of producing sheet glass, which consists in first forming the sheet, carrying the sheet forwardly as it is formed in a generally horizontal direction and to a predetermined location, rotating the sheet 180 about an axis extending parallel with its direction of movement, and in then passing the sheet forwardly into and through an annealin zone.

4. T e process of' producing sheet glass, which consists in first forming'the sheet, carrying the sheet forwardly as it is formed in a generally horizontal direction upon a series of spaced transverse supporting surfaces, rotating the sheet 180 about an axis extending parallel with its direction of movement, bringing said sheet to rest upon a second series of spaced transverse su porting surfaces, and in then passing the sheet forwardly into and through an annealing zone.

5. The process of producing sheet glass, which consists in firstforming the sheet, carrying the sheet forwardly as it is formed in a generally horizontal direction upon a series of spaced transverse supports having rolling contact with said sheet, rotating the sheet 180 about an axis extending parallel with its direction of movement, bringing said sheet to rest upon a second series of spaced transverse supports also having rollzontal direction an ing contact with thesheet, and in then passing the sheet forwardly into and through an annealing zone.

6. The process of producing sheet glass, which consists in forming. the sheet at a relatively high rate of speed, carrying the sheet forwardly at such speed in a generally horizontal direction and to a predetermined location, turning the sheet 180 to bring its bottom surface uppermost, in reducing the forward speed of travel of the sheet during the turning thereof, and in then passing the the sheet forwardly into and through an annealin zone at such reduced speed.

7. T e process of producin sheet glass,

which consists in forming the s eet at a relatively high rate of speed, carrying the sheet forwardly at such s eed in a enerally horito a pre etermined location, rotating the sheet 180 about an axis extending parallel with its direction of movement, in reducing the forward speed of travel of the sheet during rotation thereof, and in then passing the sheet forwardly into and through an annealing zone at such reduced s eed. 8. The process of producing sheet glass, which consists in forming the sheet at a relatively high rate of speed, carrying the sheet forwardly in a generally horizontal direction at such speed upon a series of spaced transverse supporting surfaces, rotating the sheet 180 about an axis extending parallel with its direction of movement, in bringing the sheet to rest upon a second series of spaced transverse supporting surfaces, in effecting a reduction in the forward speed of travelof the sheet during rotation thereof, and in then passing the sheet forwardly into and through an annealing zone at such reduced speed.

9. The process of producing sheet glass,

which consists in forming the sheet at a relatively high rate of speed, carrying the sheet forwardly in a generally horizontal direction at such speed from a series of spaced trans- Verse supports having rolling contact with the sheet, rotating the sheet 180 about an axis extending parallel with its direction of movement, in reducing the forward speed of travel of the sheet during rotation thereof and bringing it to rest upon a second series of spaced transverse supports also having rolling contact with the sheet, and in then passing the sheet forwardly into and through an annealing zone at such reduced speed.

10. In sheet glass apparatus, means for receiving a newly formed sheet of glass from sheet forming mechanism and deliverin it into an annealing leer including conve ng means for receiving the sheet thereupon rom the sheet forming mechanism, a second conveyingmeans for delivering the sheet into the annealing leer, and means for rotating the first conveying means to turn the sheet upside down and bring it to rest upon said second conveying means.

11. In a sheet glass apparatus, means for receiving a newly formed sheet of glass from sheet forming mechanism and delivering it into an annealing leer including conveying means for receiving the sheet thereupon from the sheet forming mechanism, a second conveying means mounted above the first conveying. means and adapted to deliver the sheet into the annealing leer, and means for rotating said conve ing means as a unit to transfer the sheet rom the first conveying the sheet forming mechanism, a second conveying means mounted above the first conveyin means and adapted to deliver the sheet into the annealing leer, and means for from one set of rolls the o rotating said oonveyingmeans as unit 180 about an axis estending longitudii'ially therei .2. n, {L

of to transfer the sheet iiom the hiss eonveying means onto the second 'conveymg I HIEELDS.

a, means tor glass o i .c formed sheet oi e ass irom imposed sets of rolls for recei 7 therehetween, and means for sets of rolls unit to tr-an,

15. In sheet glass epparatu: ceiving a newly formed sheet of glass from sheet forming mechanism and delivering it into an annealing" leer including a housing, A series of rolls 1 nged therein for receiving the sheet thereupon from the rest forming mechanism, a second series of rolls arranged above the first series and adapted to deliver the sheet into the annealing l er, and means for rotating said in ising transter the sheet from said first series of rolls to said second. series of rolls.

16. in sheet ceiving a new sheet forming apparat s, means for reformed sheet o glass from mechanism and delivering it into an annealii leer including housing, a series of rolls therein. for receiving the sheet thereupon from the sheet forming mechanism, a sec se ies of rolls arr above the fi st series and adapted to deliver the sheet into leer, means for rotating said housing to transfer the sheet from said first series of rolls to said second series of rolls, inea carried by the housing for driving the first series of rolls, and eans also carried by the housing for driving the second series of rol ndently of the series.

apparatus, means for rei aed sheet of glass from nisni a rela ively high ering the same into an annealing leer rel tively slower speed, including conve g sans receiving the sheet thereupon om the sheet *ining mechanism, means drivi o c 1 the first conveying means to bring the sheet to rest upon said second conveying means.

18. In sheet glass apparatus, means for receiving a newly formed sheet of glass from sheet forming mechanism at a relatively high tively high rate of speed, a second series of rolls mounted above the first series and adapted to deliver the sheet into the annealing leer, means for driving said second series of rolls at a relatively slower speed, and means for rotating both series of rolls as a unit about an axis extending parallel with the direction of movement of the sheet for transferring the sheet from the first series of rolls onto the second series of rolls.

19. In sheet glass apparatus, means for receiving a newly formed sheet of glass from sheet forming mechanism at a relatively high rate of speed and delivering it into an annealing leer at a relatively slower speed including an elongated cylindrical housing, two superposed sets of rolls arrange within said housing and extending two spaced parallel lines longitudinally thereof for receiving the glass sheet thereloetween, means for driving one set of rolls at a relatively high rate of speed, means for driving the other set of rolls at a relatively slower speed, and means for rotating the housing about its longitudinal axis to transfer the sheet from the high speed rolls onto the low speed rolls 20. In sheet ss apparatus, means for receiving a newly formed sheet of glass from sheet forming mechanism at a relatively high rate of speed and delivering it into an annealing leer at a relatively slower speed including an elongated cylindrical housing, two superimposed sets of rolls arranged within said housing and extending in two spaced parallel lines longitudinally thereof for receiving" the gl ss sheet thereloetween, means for driving one set'of rolls a relatively high rate of speed, means for driving the other set of rolls at a relatively slower speed, mews for rotating the housing about its longitudinal axis to transfer the shes" from the high speed rolls onto the low speed rolls, and means for pra venting lateral shitting movement of the sheet relative to the rolls during rotation of said housing Signed at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Uhio, this 6th day of June, 1e30,

CUB 

